New Discovery Could Help Understand and Treat Glaucoma

Researchers have discovered two distinct groups of short molecules that regulate gene expression in the eyes fluid of people with two different forms of glaucoma, according to a report in News Medical.

The differential expression of these microRNAs is important as it could help researchers find more genes that are linked to glaucoma, more information about how the different types of glaucoma damage the optic nerve and indicators of potential treatment interventions.

"If we know the pathways involved, maybe we can reverse this, find better targets and design better drugs," said corresponding author of the study, Dr. Yutao Liu, from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.